Fly on the Wall
"Fly on the Wall" is a song by Colin Moulding. It appeared on the 1982 album English Settlement. Quotes Colin: “Every time I hear this blast from the past, I seem to raise a smile. Although written with the sinister subject of Big Brother in mind, sinister it ain't. But in a way I'm rather thankful for it. Its buzzy keyboard and unusual vocal treatment give it a much lighter manner than I could have foreseen and I'm saved from being viewed as taking myself too seriously... phew! “This song, for a while, had record company personnel banding its name about and hailing it as being a contender for a single. For great things were expected of English Settlement, everyone had tasted the blood of the charts from the previous year and was baying for more. In the end, disappointment. One week, a single, the next, a travesty, or so they called it. My distorted vocal treatment did not sit well at Virgin and obviously even less so with the likes of DLT and all those at radio. (Had I created a Dave Lee Travesty?) “Now when this song becomes a topic of discussion amongst band members, its fallen status from chart bound sound to... the ‘T word’ always raises a chuckle.” Andy: “Move along now ladies and gentlemen, try to stay together. If you look to the left you'll see XTC, up to their Uffington horses, in the Manor Studios, making the English Settlement album. Virgin's Simon Draper was convinced this was a single and Colin was still the golden boy, everything he touched turned to Fablon in their eyes. I, on the other hand was the nutty, arty one, left to sweep up my brain droppings into the semblance of an album. Colin had the looks and the melodies, I had the glasses. For some reason Simon Draper changed his mind when he heard this finished version. Was it the fuzzy, out of focus, fly's eye vocal, or perhaps the stinging, insect wing keyboard? Who knows, but in his mind we were purposefully ‘spoiling’ what could have been a hit. Funny that, we thought it swung like a maggot's mutha.” Lyrics I am the fly on the wall, My prying eyes are looking through your bottom drawer I just came flying through your door, You didn't notice that your number had been called I see the mother who's beating the babe, I see the money, The pennies you save, Stored on computers, From birth to the grave The fly on the wall, He's seeing it all I am the fly upon the wall, You're in the index of the files that stand so tall Although your health is rather poor, We have a place for those who cannot find a cure I know your income, Your daily crust, I know your pleasures, Your passion, Your lust, I know when you're living and I know when you're dust The fly on the wall, He's seeing it all One is born and one will die, it's all understood The bit that's in the middle doesn't count I am the fly on the wall, My prying eyes are looking through your bottom drawer I just came flying through your door, You didn't notice that your number had been called I see the mother who's beating the babe, I see the money, The pennies you save, Stored on computers, From birth to the grave The fly on the wall, He's seeing it all. I am the fly I am the fly upon the wall, You're in the index of the files that stand so tall Although your health is rather poor, We have a place for those who cannot find a cure I know your income, Your daily crust, I know your pleasures, Your passion, Your lust, I know when you're living and I know when you're dust The fly on the wall, He's seeing it all Category:Discography Category:Songs by Andy Partridge